Kaneda

Nobody wanted Chinese D to become a success more than me and while I love the songs, very few of them get any reaction from a live crowd. For fucks sake, look around you when you're at a live show and Sorry is sung, or This I Love. Nobody knows them, nobody sings along. Sure a couple of us hardcore fans do, but for the most part, the place is silent and the energy leaves the room. At Roseland, the fucking song of the night was Civil War for sure. The crowd went ape shit. I'd rather see that live than hear TWAT and see only 10 fanboys out of 3000 singing along. Most people go see guns to hear the hits. The current set list has a good mix of everything now. Shit I remember when everyone was bitching that no illusion material was played. He added the big ones and still, more bitching about the lack of Chinese d material. That album was a gift to the hardcore fans, so fucking appreciate it. The live shows are gifts to the all fans, but have to tailored to the mainstream fan base or else nobody would go to the shows. If I were whispering in Fernando's ear, I would suggest doing one hardcore night for fans. Once a year. Message board lottery system invite, 20 songs, fans get to pick which ones. Even just one show for the fanatics would get them to shut up.

Finally, and I mean this with all do respect because I know what it means to be a guns fanatic. Some of you need to let go a little bit and find more important things to be upset about. Getting all riled up about a gnr setlist? Really? With all that's going on in this world, I would find a more productive place to lay your concerns. Just be happy Axl is alive and well, in good spirits, and up there at all. If he doesn't sing prostitute, don't cry. Go sleep with a prostitute and feel better, better. Keep the passion, but lose the bitching...

Kaneda

First, let me say that this band is the tightest lineup since the original band. They put on a very professional and solid show. It's no bullshit, great rock n roll. But lately I feel like this band is at a cross road and they have a decision to make: do we move forward as a band, or do we lean heavily into the past. It's not an easy decision at all. As much as us hardcore fans love Chinese D, most people at the shows I've been to respond indifferently to the new material. Nobody can sense that more than the guys up on stage. So what do they do? They play the hits. The songs people love. The songs people came to see. But in doing that, and leaning into the old material, it makes fans think - why aren't the old guys just up there then? We all know the answer to that.

As die hard fans, we selfishly want more new material. But if GNR is a brand, that brands equity sinks if new material fails to find cultural relevance. So what do they do? How long can they keep leaning into the past with these new guys before it becomes irrelevant? For some of you, it already has. I'm still on the fence. It looks like Guns is going to be on the road for a while, which is a blessing and a curse for the die hards. It almost guarantees no new material is being studio recorded. So what about the loads of material recorded during the making of CHinese D? Will we ever see it? Sounds like record label issues may keep that material side-lined for while. But who knows...

The band is at the crossroads right now. You can feel it in the air. You can sense it at the shows. You can see it in the faces of all GNR fans. They are all holding on to something they love. But holding onto the past makes it so hard to move forward. We all want Axl to succeed and I believe he can find future success if he just puts more music out there. He's surrounded by such talent, but they aren't marketed properly. Nobody knows who these guys are. And can you blame the fans? They have no content to react to. No music videos, no behind the scenes with DJ or Ron. They are sitting on an ocean of content...let it go and I'm sure a lot of good would come of it. That's my two cents...How do you guys feel?

How was the pre party?

Pre Party was great. Thanks to all the many great fans who showed up. Still blows my mind that people were mad when we played some Eminem...i mean, i wasn't going to play 4 hours of guns and then go listen to 3 hours of guns...but we had a great time.

Hope Axl wears a Giants jersey tonight.

Hey fuckers, just one more day to go. I should be getting to the bar around 6:15 ish...we have the second floor space reserved. My advice to all, is come, have a great time, but by all means PACE YOURSELVES. We all know GNR won't be on stage until late, and the tendency is to over drink and be gone by 11. I've been there and it sucks. THat being said, I planned to get shit faced and ride the nightrain. Tomorrow, people should type what they're wearing, so we'll know who's who. BUt it won't be that crowded.

Have you told the other boards bout the party man? Really no reason to exclude any hardcore nugnr geek. Were all there for the same reason. I say more the merrier.

Hit up here today....which other ones should I inform?

I said it over there as well, but thanks again for including us! The space looks great. My friend and I are going to be there around 7ish. I am not the type of person that wants to stand right at the stage OR wait on a super long line so this is perfect. Been there, done that and as much as I love GNR, getting punched in the head or elsewhere by a rowdy fan is no bueno.

I hear you. For me the biggest reason for standing back is the sound...when you're too close, the vocals get drowned out....Not to mention the sea of people pushing you forward for 3 hours...it sucks.

Have you told the other boards bout the party man? Really no reason to exclude any hardcore nugnr geek. Were all there for the same reason. I say more the merrier.

Hit up here today....which other ones should I inform?

my plan is to all pre-party and people can leave whenever to wait online or get in early...personally, i've seen new GNR so many times and while I love the shows, I don't love being sandwiched near the front of the stage by angry men. I like to stand back, enjoy the tunes, be able to move, and make it to the bar when I need to. I plan on heading over to Roseland around 10pm...will probably get in around 10:30...GNR will probably hit the stage around 11, 11:15. That's my guess. Who knows, when they played MSG in 2002, they went on at 10pm sharp...but that was rare.

I'll be the guy wearing the pigeons of shit metal t-shirt.

wow...not too many people on this board going it seems. More drinks for us...

Where is this place in relation to the theatre? Walking distance? I always love meeting people at shows. Be cool to meet hardcore fans of the new band. People who can actually discuss the band. Thanks alot kanada. Wish we had more notice. Id love to make some mygnrforum.com shirts. Maybe have our forum name and a.number on the back, like a jersey. Im sure someone could design something cool. We could have even made them for the band members.

More notice? Lol...I booked it a day after tickets went on sale its not like this bar is going to have hundreds of people there. Just my crew and message board fans/friends. But you never know, maybe I can get a band member to stop by and say hi no promises.

Its just a few blocks from the venue....walking distance for sure

Is there any chance Guns will be on before 11 pm? Trying to coordinate the car service and don't want to get there either way too early or at 10:45 only to have them be on stage already.

You never know with guns, but a Friday night in NYC has me thinking a later start time. Having been to small venue shows, I have no desire to be near the front. You spend the whole night squeezed next to guys. More fun to be in the back....sound is better and you can move. Just my two cents...

So longtime fan, been to every show that comes close to where I am, was stoked about the NY shows and was at the Hammerstein ones...sign up on the new gunsnroses.com as soon as I see it online (many months ago).

Get the presage password and time - 10am - make arrangements to be available to buy tickets at that time (not everyone can always hang around a computer) login, no tickets.

No tickets, no show now and looks like all the tickets are gone to scalpers.

Worst organization of a ticket sale - ever.

I agree that the 10am presage was confusing, but the site was the problem. Anywho, what show you looking to go see?

Awesome. Trying to get the word out on more places. Any help would be great.

As much as I enjoy CD (I'm a firm believer played loud through quality headphones/speakers makes it sound much more impressive) its far from a mainstream rock album. It's sounds and influences are dated, complex production and a pretty big leap away from the sounds of afd/uyi meant it didn't entice casual rock listeners. For all it's quality it's actually a very niche sounding album compared to what is currently selling big volume in the rock genre.

As important as promotion and well crafted marketing campaigns are, the product has to have mass appeal to sell real volume and dominate airwaves, CD just doesn't have a mass appeal sound. If they had made 'Better' less industrial sounding and more stripped back rock n roll I would have made for a killer lead single.

I couldn't agree more. I always tell people, mainstream music makes GUYS and GALS want to sing along. Better starts nice and poppy, but I can't see any girl singing "NOW I KNOW YOU BETTER, NOW WE ALL KNOW BETTER!!!!"

Hey Gunners...thanks to BroBot's suggestion, I've reserved an entire floor at Gossip Bar on Friday, February 10. We'll have the second floor from around 6pm to 10pm. Not sure when Guns is going to hit the stage, but my guess is around 11 or later. Let me know who plans on going so I can let the bar know. It's a cash bar fuckers, but Kaneda will be buying shots periodically. I'll also be controlling the music, so any requests, lmk...

Gossip Bar

Gossip Bar Website

It wasn't a conspiracy - which implies some secret plan to sack Axl. Many of you have pointed to a few factors, but ultimately, as a marketer, I still believe the way the music was delivered lacked any real punch. Best Buy's promotion was laughable. The free stream on MySpace seemed like an outdated approach on a has-been channel. No music videos. No integration with a major film. No TV spots. Nothing wrapped the music. And these songs, delivered naked were just not enough in a world where marketing matters.

Deep down inside, I also feel that there was no true radio single - no anthem song with a simple easy hook for people to get into. We all love the tracks, but most people wanted just another Jungle or Sweet Child after all this time. Axl delivered an album for the real fans, and I'm happy with that and I think he is too.

I didn't know kaneda bought tickets, doesn't he usually just sneak in?

I've never asked the band for tickets...plus whenever Guns is in town, I always bring a big group of people to see em and nothing makes me happier than to support this band.

This place has a good sized upstairs area for private parties if we want to arrange something in advance before the Roseland show. Being that it's a Friday night, the area is going to be packed with tourists and the after work financial guys so it would be good to plan ahead. Otherwise people will be crammed in various bars in the neighborhood in small groups having a hard time getting a drink:

http://gossipbarnyc.com/

OK, I'm willing to overlook the fact that black eyed peas starts playing the second the site loads, but who would be down for such a thing? If we get enough fans, we should definitely do this!

Awesome, glad real fans are getting them easily. Now we need to decide where to pre-party.

Was expecting it to be hard, but me and a bunch of coworkers were able to grab a bunch of tickets. Who else got some?

WTF? How do u get this?

Where are you guys finding prices? Will there be a presale password? This is awesome news. Let's face it, any pissed just doesn't live anywhere near this tour.

Backstage

Crowd is ficking nuts! Rocket queen was best ever